10 miles on Highway 101: The worst way to spend an hour?
August 1, 2010 8:39 PM Subscribe
Commuting on the 101 between Petaluma and Novato or San Rafael and Novato. Which is worse?
Husband and I are moving to the north bay in a few months. His job is in Novato, so we are planning to secure housing in one of the following: Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael or small-ish surrounding towns. Office hours start at 10am and expect to be driving home around 6:30/7pm-ish.
With that in mind, I have two questions:
1. How bad is the traffic really between Petaluma and Novato arriving for 10 am, and same for the return from Novato to Petaluma in the pm? (10 miles on the 101S, how long will it really take?)
2. How much easier is the commute from San Rafael to Novato to make it to the office at 10am and in the opposite direction back south to San Rafael (or nearby area)? (6 miles on the 101N, how long will it really take?)
Husband and I are moving to the north bay in a few months. His job is in Novato, so we are planning to secure housing in one of the following: Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael or small-ish surrounding towns. Office hours start at 10am and expect to be driving home around 6:30/7pm-ish.
With that in mind, I have two questions:
1. How bad is the traffic really between Petaluma and Novato arriving for 10 am, and same for the return from Novato to Petaluma in the pm? (10 miles on the 101S, how long will it really take?)
2. How much easier is the commute from San Rafael to Novato to make it to the office at 10am and in the opposite direction back south to San Rafael (or nearby area)? (6 miles on the 101N, how long will it really take?)
Bay Area Historical Traffic can help predict commute times by time and day of the week.
posted by cgomez at 9:16 PM on August 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by cgomez at 9:16 PM on August 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: cgomez Thanks! That's a pretty handy link.
posted by kirstk at 9:19 PM on August 1, 2010
posted by kirstk at 9:19 PM on August 1, 2010
Living in San Rafael and working in Novato means you are traveling against the heavy traffic flow for both commutes. Also, seconding TDIpod with regard to the number of lanes.
posted by beetsuits at 10:05 PM on August 1, 2010
posted by beetsuits at 10:05 PM on August 1, 2010
Best answer: I once lived in Novato and drove south to work, not all the way to San Rafael. The traffic bunched up right at the southernmost end of my drive, but where I got on the highway and south from there was flowing smoothly. That makes me think that the traffic from Petaluma south to Novato flows pretty smoothly, too, since Novato is not a big employment center as far as I could tell. On the way home, it was stop and go, and I would imagine that it got worse around the Petaluma Narrows (that's what they call it where the highway lane gets dropped).
posted by salvia at 11:13 PM on August 1, 2010
posted by salvia at 11:13 PM on August 1, 2010
The 101 is one gigantic clusterf**k from Santa Rosa to the bridge and Petaluma is a much cooler place to live than San Rafael so I'd go with Petaluma. Most of the time the traffic won't be too bad as long as you aren't driving through San Rafael itself.
posted by fshgrl at 11:35 PM on August 1, 2010
posted by fshgrl at 11:35 PM on August 1, 2010
Best answer: Petaluma Narrows (that's what they call it where the highway lane gets dropped).
I've heard it called the Novato Narrows too. (The appeal of alliteration, you know.)
I'd agree that your option 2. is easier. IME, Petaluma to Novato in the morning is fine. The 2 lanes can be crowded but it generally moves ok. Say, 15 min or so.
Novato to Petaluma from about 4 pm on can be maddeningly stop and go. On Fridays, around Atherton, the northbound lanes can clog by midafternoon. Everyone getting away for the weekend to wine country, or wherever. Days before long weekends are worse. The Fri of this past July 4 weekend, northbound traffic was stop and go at De Long by 1 pm and didn't let up until the north end of Santa Rosa. Thank God for audiobooks.
However! Since you're leaving work around 6:30 or 7 pm, that's late enough that the Narrows will probably move better than from 4 to 6 pm. Sorry I can't give a time range for this. I usually get off the 101 earlier, so all I can report is that northbound traffic just before The Narrows seems to move smoothly, after 6 pm.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 5:05 PM on August 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've heard it called the Novato Narrows too. (The appeal of alliteration, you know.)
I'd agree that your option 2. is easier. IME, Petaluma to Novato in the morning is fine. The 2 lanes can be crowded but it generally moves ok. Say, 15 min or so.
Novato to Petaluma from about 4 pm on can be maddeningly stop and go. On Fridays, around Atherton, the northbound lanes can clog by midafternoon. Everyone getting away for the weekend to wine country, or wherever. Days before long weekends are worse. The Fri of this past July 4 weekend, northbound traffic was stop and go at De Long by 1 pm and didn't let up until the north end of Santa Rosa. Thank God for audiobooks.
However! Since you're leaving work around 6:30 or 7 pm, that's late enough that the Narrows will probably move better than from 4 to 6 pm. Sorry I can't give a time range for this. I usually get off the 101 earlier, so all I can report is that northbound traffic just before The Narrows seems to move smoothly, after 6 pm.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 5:05 PM on August 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I live in San Rafael and work in Novato (2K games), and the commute is really easy. One of my friends here at work lives in Petaluma, and it's a bit of a trek for him sometimes.
San Rafael has (arguably) more stuff than Petaluma, too, if you care -- for example, Sol Food (the best restaurant).
I've lived here and commuted to Novato for about a year and a half now -- if you want to know anything, you can totally message me.
posted by zusty at 2:25 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
San Rafael has (arguably) more stuff than Petaluma, too, if you care -- for example, Sol Food (the best restaurant).
I've lived here and commuted to Novato for about a year and a half now -- if you want to know anything, you can totally message me.
posted by zusty at 2:25 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by TDIpod at 8:56 PM on August 1, 2010